sunday night right here on fox news channel. thank you for being with us tonight. go to gretawire.com and tell whaus you thought about tonight's show and vote in the polls. good night from washington. >> thanks for watching and see you tomorrow. >> this is a fox news alert. i am bret baier, in dallas. we'll have the details about the dedication in a moment. first the headlines, the white house said the syrian government used chemical weapons against its own people. that crosses the red line from period -- president obama. >> we have more evidence that the bombers noted to spled the bombing in the times square. >> and more on the fertilizer explosion. president obama spoke in the memorial. the new george w. bush presidential library and

museum was dedicated in a star-studded ceremony here on the campus of southern methodist university. it featured members world's most club. karl has the coverage. >> three former presidents and the current president joined president bush. >> the united states of america must strive to expand the reach of freedom. [ applause ] one of the benefits of freedom is that people can disagree. it is fair to say i created plenty of opportunity to exercise that right. >> president obama's predecessors praised him. >> he takes his job seriously but not himself too seriously. he is a good man. >> if we do that, it will be

in large part, thanks to the hard work of president w. bush. [ applause ] >> the bush patriarch and 41st president bush was clearly emotional and in a wheelchair. >> it is a great pleasure to be here and honor our oldest son. this is very special for barbara and me. when the 89 year old bush stood up, so did the audience. >> former president clinton admitted to befriending president bush 41 and 43. >> a couple of times in his second term, george bush would call me just to talk politicings and a chill went up and down my spine when laura said all of their records were digitized. did god, i hope there is it no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building. >> former president jimmy

carter hailed thert evers in africa. im fill would with admireration and gratitude about the great contributions you mead made to the most needy people on earth. thank you very much. >> the gratitude and warm wishes touched the former president. >> i will always believe our nation's best days lie ahead, approximate god bless. >> and the library will open to the public on may 1st and therefore expected to attract 400,000 to half million visitors a year. >> karl, thank you. wednesday i had an opportunity to talk to president bush and former first lady bush. she took me through the museum that starts as the bush presidency started. >> we walk in here and this is the beginning. >> exactly, the first section is what we thought we would be workog behind.

no child left behind and faith-based initiative and tax cut it is here and the national book festival and the state dinner for mexico . then 9/11. >> and it all changings. >> it all changings. >> everything changings. in is it a huge beam from the world trade center from the 82nd floor of the second tower the place where the plane hit and the point of impact and you can see how horrific the attack was when you see the way the steet is twisted. >> and on the wall all of the namings. >> of everyone who died. and around the room minute by minute from the first plane to shankingsville and then you move on september 11th to september 20th. when george spoke to the joint session of congress. we had first months optmistic months when we were working on

all of the things george campaigned on, and then this happened and everything change would for us and for our whole country in ways we would never have predicted or guess. but it a fact, it happened and you know, what we had to do was respond to it in whatever way we could and american people. it happened the same way for them . when i look at this and i remember again how people came together, it is so important. it is an important lesson. if is important for us to still come together. >> as you make that turn and you can see the piece of the world trade center, it is it stark. can i ask you, just this past couple of weekings, where were you when you heard about the boston bombings? >> i was here in dallas, at home. you know, it did cause me to think back to our time in the

white house the lesson of 9/11 and lesson of boston is that evil exist and there are people willing to murder innocent people, and therefore, the country can never let its guard down. sadly cannot let its guard down. the facts are still coming in and we'll find out more as time went on. i was impress by the response of the local, state and federal authorities in this case. after all two people have now been brought to justice. >> is it in your mind that our country has forgotten 9/11 up until boston. >> the tendency is want to be comfortable . not think about terror and not to walk around worried that tomorrow will be another attack.

but defending the homeland is incredibly difficult to do. a lot of good people are working on it but it is hard to do. the terrorist, we had to be right 100 percent of the time and they had to be right one . the other thing that caused me to think back the unspeakable sadness i felt. someone running a marathon and sudden loss of life is incredibly sad. >> back in the museum, it looks exactly the same. >> we recreated the oval with the same aspect of the real oval office. it fun to see it again and great to have it as a memory for us. >> this is it all. >> not really. it is me being there and loved living in washington in the beautiful white house . we are hope and happy to be settled here. you can come in and take your picture sitting at the desk . president and walk oud in the

rose garden like the president would. >> the museum does not shy away from the interrogation and wars and no weapons of mass destruction found in iraq and the bank bail out, and trying to beat the rap that the libraries white wash contentious pointless of theater. >> the surge as it was known is a success. >> people can sit at the booths and make decisions. >> you can hear everything and all . advice that they give president bush and the press hounding you to say make a decision and what are you going to do and you don't have time. >> is this part of if you think you could have done better give it a shot? >> it is not that. it is it knowing what it is like for people to understand what it is like to be a

president. >> it is it a tough job . gives people an understanding of how the decisions are made and maybe the lessons at decision point theater will help them to make better decisions in your life. it is not my presidency alone for the president to make tough decision. every passport makes tough decisions. >> let me ask you those decision. arch the american experience in iraq, do you think that the regime change can work and still be used effectively as a u.s. tool for foreign policy. >> regime change has taken place in iraq and egypt and tunisia obviously a situation in sir yampt the question is not whether or not people will want to get rid much tyranny. what will we do. will we retreat or be involve would in helping civil society develop and democracies in the heart of the middle east can

evolve. kids in tahir squaremented their voices heard . i was not surprised people in tunisia got sick of corrupt government. they wanted a rightful place in society. i hope the american people will not say it is none of our visit. because the september 11th exhibit said it is our business. it matters here at home. >> people look at arab spring and the muslim brotherhood and egypt and they are not extoling freedoms currently and they say, is that going the right direction? >> it depends on whether or not there is a continuium of collections. the muslim brotherhood wins and campaigns on better healthcare and education and jobs and he gets to go back to the egyptian people and say i deliver or didn't deliver. the egyptian people will have

a second chance to vote for somebody that they are interested in putting in power. a democracies take time to evolve. it seems like the role of those who are living in comfortable free societies ought to take an interest in the evolution of that. demcreation for our own national security. >> immigration reform. i talked to you at the ranch in crawford. >> when was that? >> 200.. >> it had turned ugly and we lost the essence of america if we bash the immigrants. i am concerned that a emotionam debate, thatends up pitting people against each other will cause america -- to lose its soul. >> do you think we are heading that way again or do you think

the country has changed since then? >> i think people know the system fails. it is broken . so it will be interesting to watch the debate go on. it is a difficult debate because there is it a lot of moving part. i rarely speak publicly and takes an unusual person to get in front of the camera, i guess that is you . the economic summit and here in the center, defending free enterprizes. if you want to grow the private sector, that summit said it is it racial immigration policy and we ought to be kind when we debate the issue. debating immigration, you are talking about the past of our country and the newly arrive would. you don't want to say to the newly areiched you are not worthy. the debate will be vigorous, but it needs thoughtful.

>> on the republican party. >> we are leaderless now. it is not the first time we have been we have been in the wilderness and pretty soon, our party will coalease around somebody to be his leader. i wish his name jeb. i have no idea if he will run. >> you want him to run. >> absolutely. he would be a great president. whether or not he choose choice is not my choice. he saw his father and brother run for and knows it is it a personal decision to make. parties go in cycles and soon there will be a leader of both parties and the fundmental question will be they able to unite the parties behind a common mission and in a philosophy, give me a chance thogovern and people's lives will get better.

>> mrs. bush, how would you characterize president bush post white house >> i would say relaxed. so released he doesn't do the dishings . we are very busy. >> one of your friends said you have no idea how relieved he is to be out of the game. he doesn't miss politicings. >> i am interested in politics and our country's future. you know,ip watch all these shows about what the pol on -- politicians are saying i have no desire to be a participant. i a partace pant and i - participant either campaigning or governing. once your time is up, you exit the stage and let the next person to give it his best shot. >> if you were not still in

politicings, they would say you left 33 percent approval ratings and the low 25, october of 2008, this past week, 49 percent of the latest fox poll and 47 percent in the washington abc poles. why is that. >> because i don't care. >> how many timings have i asked you about pollings. >> it is the same answer. they go up and they go down. what matters more than polls is your belief system . the real challenge in the post presidency, can you find a way to honor certain principles that matter? that's what we are doing in the bush center and one principle is that freedom is very transformative. transforming individuals and societies and it transforming the world . you know, i think you know me well enough to not be totally

amazed that i gain a sense of freedom for not being involved in the process. and yes, my condition of postpresidency. relaxed in one way and anxious to make sure that i continue to be a constructive person. now, i play golf like you play golf and ride my bike and stay fit. sadly, the fact that i am an oil painter is public. i am not trying to hide it. i also told people who supported this facility, this is where laura and i will spend the rest of our life, trying to do our best to improve people's lives. >> now this library and the institute is a big deal. i told by many people trumped 11 dapes ago by mela? >> we that's right. we are so thrilled. you are coming oust your shoes and still are?

>> we fly up the day after mela born in new york. holding that little child was joyful. it a sweet, sweet moment and then i had to warch the masters. >> with the baby, she watched her first masters on the first day of her life. >> start early. >> in the court yard a statue of the 41st and 43rd presidents together and for the dedication they were on stage together. >> the best news of all is 41 will be here. it is it a big deal. how does he feel? >> good nutch to come to the opening. we are looking to seeing him. >> am you get misty eyed? >> i don't think so. i may get misty seag him.

i will power through the speech. it is not that long it is a speech of thank it is a day of great thanksgiving. >> thank you for your time. >> he did getty-eyed though in the moment as president george h. bush the first father and son duoto attend the son's dedication. >> still ahead a special panel of journalist who covered the bush beat . the first the boys used double miles from their capital one venture card to fly home for the big family reunion. you must be garth's father? hello. mother. mother! traveling is easy with the venture card because you can fly airline anytime. two words. double miles! this guy can act. wanna play dodge rock? oh, you guys! and with double miles you can actuay use,

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>> last week's boston marathon bombingings were supposed to

be the beginning on a trail of terror. catherine harris has new information. >> intelligence in the question of the suspect in new york city. we remain targets for terrorist. >> times square next based on f.b.i. negotiations. that means six improvised device. it was made after the shooting of a mit police officer on tuesday. however. a senior federal law enforcement official who would not speak on the record said any talk of the aspirerational at beast. it seemed to haunt the new york officialings. >> we don't know if those visits were related in any way as the brother's spontanous

decision to target times square. >> it came with the interidation of dzhokhar in the hospital. >> it was ape lot of information that could have been obtained. >> the 19 year old was questioned and f.b.i. agents were taken by surprise when a u.s. attorney and magistrate arrived to read him his rights. ni blame the administration and writing it off to knock off jihadist. bin laden is dead but radical islam is well. >> in russia, the mother claim would that her two sons are victims. >> it is for any reason that it . they have taken my kids away from me in america.

>> the same year an al qaeda suicide bomber kimed 37 in moscow international airport, the russian security service pushed the f.b.i. to investigate tamerlan's terrorist ties. this they said it should spur cooperation between u.s. and rush yampt they likely used remote control. >> they are nomit crude bombs, they are affective bombs and people shouldn't use the term, crude device or something of that nature. >> this afternoon, they disputed the handling of johar. neither the attorney general or justice department were involved. the timing made by the court, bret. >> thank you. closing argumentings are set for monday in the trial of a

philadelphia abortion doctor. the defense rested wednesday without calling witnesses. he faces chargings of killing four babies born alive and the overdose death of a fenail adult patient. 41 percent . people latest fox poll blame media bias . 24% said it is it a local story and 17 percent say too gruesome. issue, the00 finished 6. nasdaq up 20. huge challenge near president obama as syria

>> the red line that president obama called a game changer has apparently been crossed. the white house said the syrian government used chemical weapons against his

own people. here is the specificings and what this means. >> a day after shrugging off european claimless of chemical weapons used. defense secretary chuck hagel said the u.s. has evidence. >> the u.s. intelligence community assesses varying confidence that the syrian regime used chemical weapons in syrialy chemical agent saron. >> lawmakers who are pushing president obama to be more active in the syrian war said we should take steps. >> provide a safe area for the opposition to operate and establish a no fly zone and provide weapons to the people in the resistance that we trust. >> obama fortunatelies say syrian air defense would make a difficult no fly zone and

concerned that the u.s. weapons would find in the hands of the extremist. >> a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around and utilized. i have made clear that use of chemical weapons is a game changer. >> given the experience in iraq, it is essential we establish that bashar assad used them. senator mccain is suspicious. i wor that the president is using it as an expense. >> and assad refuse tod allow access to experts. lawmakers suggest that syria used chemical weapons in two location and 20 people died as

a result. experts say the small scale usage would be difficult to confirm. meanwhile hagel will not say he he would recommend the president to respond. >> we'll be ready to do that. privately all options are on the table aides say but will not say whether he asked for options. >> president obama spoke late this afternoon in a memorial for people kill would, at least 14 in the last week's fertilizer plant explosion in west, texas. law enforcement officials preceded the ceremony and the president spoke of the loss. >> we may not all live here in texas, but we are neighbors, too. we are americans, too . we stand with you and we do not forget [ applause ] and we'll be there even after

the cameras leave. >> we will talk with some of the journalist who covered the

>> the political winds blow left and right and polls rise and fall . supporters come and go, but in the end, leaders are defined by the convictions they hold and my deepest conviction, the guiding principle of the administration is that the united states of america must strive to expand the reach of freedom. [ applause ] i believe that freedom is a gift from god. and the hope of every human heart. president obama in the

dedication ceremony and i recover're covered the pentagon from 2001 on and in the beginning . second term i was chief white house correspondant and traveled around with a special guest. bill plant for cbs news and jennifer lovit for the associated press and edhenry our chief correspondant held a similar position in cnn. thoughts about the bush presidency on this day as you look at the dedication ceremony and think back at the covering and our time in the white house, start with you, bill. >> you know, this library reflects the guy that george bush employees. up have to figure out who he when you start to cover him. he a better politician than he appeared to be and he never liked to be a tamented guy .

his management style direct and hands on and he knew what going on underneath him and his style with the foreign leaders was very direct. one thing that comes out in the library is his willingness to submit many of his decisions, many controversial to other people's judgments and i am sure you talk body that and so i will not belabor it. >> yeah. jennifer. >> bill is right. the library, the way it is constructed and designed it, strikings me at the same time sort of the a brilliant move to take these decisions, these big four big decisions of bush's presidency and submit them to the museum visitors, you know inquiry on their own . it strikes me defensive and it shows how and reminds us of the defensiveness that existed in his time as president about

many of those decision and controversial and remain controversial. not enough time has passed for the weight of history to decide what we think. iraq war and handemed katrina and the allegations of weapons of mass destruction in iraq . about the financial melt down and the handling of 9/11 and national security promiseless that followed. it is interesting. i think both politically brilliant and slightly overdefensive. >> yeah, and obviously in looking back, his poll numbers are going up. we talk would about that and his relationship with the press during those times and those two terms was adversarial. >> no doubt about it. balse of the tough decisions he had to make and issues that he was not planning to grapple with like terror or 9/11 in. your interview with him. we are talking about the early

days of the administration and focused on no child left behind. and a state dinner. and everything changed. everything change would and you fast forward to now with president obama. alm of the talk of the term domestic issues and immigration reform and then boston happens, it is unfair to directly compare it to 9/11. two different scales. when you talk about terror attacks. it is it an important moment in our history. it is interesting to put it together with syria and crossing the red line, whether or not terror or national security in north korea will will play a term. the whole series of issues are different than expected. you mentioned president

relationships. take a listen to this. mart and i will leave a lot of leaders out. but a lot of them will be here it makes it much easy tore find common ground or have a difference and then find common great. i spent a lot of time geting to know the leaderings. >> we tramped around the world with him and remember the iconic picture where he is massage being anglea americale's shoulders and he had a joking relationship and he did a lot of diplomacy. >> he did. his manner on the surface casual and joking . when he did talk to reporters there a method behind it. get to know the person and get

business done. that shoulder of the americale's, that photy. european leaders thought that was never done. >> what striking about covering george bush around the world the degree to which he put elbow grease in his relationships as he said. the striking sort of the contrast with the amount of elbow grease that he put in relationships in washington. he was not known like our our current president. he was not known for reaching out to the hill to a great degree and forming those relationships and spending a lot of time on it. i found it striking that he put so much curiency in the relationships with tony blair and americale and putin and with other leaders who were important to what he was

trying to do. >> yeah, last word, ed. >> i don't know if it was the same summit but the open mic incident. president bush sat down and they were talking impolitely about syria using cuss words and the light . it an embarrassing moment for the president but on the other hand showed the behind the scenes diplomacy and talking like two buddies. it worked for him on some issues and others it may have blew up in his face. i remember in russia there an all night karoke situation you were involve would in. >> i didn't think we were going to get there and you brought it there. we ran out of time. ed, jennifer and bill, thank you very much reflecting back on our time in the white house. next up. we talk syria with our regular

>> bret: finally tonight, thanks for the folks here at smu and bush center for the who's tilts over the past two days. while we were here we managed to talk to a number of dignitaries around the world. tomorrow night bring you exclusive interview with former italian prime minister berlusconi. he talks about the politics, the economy and yes the personal trials, the accusations he faces. he gets into it all. you don't want to miss it we leave you tonight with a final look at today's dedication ceremony. thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. that's it for this "special report." fair, balanced and unafraid.

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